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ZPP Monthly Monitor - January 2012
Zimbabwe Peace Project (ZPP)
March 13, 2012

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Summary

The beginning of 2012 brought with it new challenges and maybe a new state of mind among Zimbabwean political protagonists. Activities on the ground clearly show that 2012 is going to be a turning point for Zimbabwe, a make-or-break year in terms of preparations for the decisive elections and critical constitutional reforms that have been moving at a snail's pace. Zanu PF has come out clearly demanding that elections are to be held this year with or without a new constitution.

Food and others forms of aid related violations were prominent throughout the country where victims were denied access to the resources on political grounds. Failure to produce Zanu PF party cards was one of the major reasons why people's rights are being violated. With an imminent 2011/2012 drought and the proposed elections in 2012, ZPP foresees a violent election campaign marred with politicisation of food aid.

Compared to the same period last year, one can deduce that the year 2012 started peacefully given the low number of violations recorded across the country. There were 365 incidents of politically motivated human rights violations in January this as compared to the 885 cases recorded during the same month in 2011.

An analysis of the violations trends during the month of January over the past five years reveals that the month has always had fewer incidents compared to the other months. The highest number of violations during the month of January was witnessed in 2009 with 1 125 cases. This was during the period leading to the formation of the inclusive government in February 2009.

Politically motivated human rights violations in January 2010 were 779 cases and marginally increased in January 2011 to 885 as Zanu PF moved to get over 2 million signatures in the anti-sanctions petition campaign.

Cases of politically motivated violence remain high and the atmosphere has remained volatile in the Midlands, Manicaland and Masvingo provinces. However, the majority of the cases recorded during the period under review were of harassment and intimidation with sporadic incidents of physical violence having been recorded across the country.

Traditional and community leaders have been recorded as the major perpetrators of human rights violations in most rural constituencies. The reports of forced meetings have been reported from the majority of the country's provinces and mainly from the northern parts of the country.

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